Please Save my Heart
by Canon Archives
Summary: Spoilers for the Hidden World! These are a bunch of bitter-sweet moments about the pain and loss they both feel in the years following the third movie. Please read, I think it really hits home, especially if you just saw it.
1. Healing

**This one takes place only a month or two after The Hidden World.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD The Hidden World.**

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_Hiccup was flying with his dragon. It was night, and below them Berk was in a warzone. It looked like the way it used to be back in the day, when dragons would raid the village and the people would fight to kill. Vikings fired catapults and threw weapons. Houses were set ablaze and war cries echoed across the island. Oddly, though, Hiccup was fighting on the side of the dragons, against the Berkians._

_"Come on, bud," Hiccup said to his dragon, who's big, trusting green eye turned to look at him. "We have to take out the catapults!"_

_A Monstrous Nightmare had attempted to attack the massive weapon, but he was being beaten badly by a burly Viking. The Night Fury recharged and dove downwards, and the Monstrous Nightmare fled._

_"Now!" Hiccup yelled. And the dragon fired, taking out the catapult in one blow. They pulled up quickly and turned for another round. Then, out of nowhere, a rope suddenly came flying towards them out of the night._

_"Look out!" Hiccup called, trying to avoid the weapon, but it came at them too fast. The bolas slammed into them and caught the dragon's tail. They began falling from the sky, and his friend let out a wretched, painful cry –_

Hiccup opened his eyes, blinking away fresh tears that rolled down his cheeks. He lay in bed, breathing heavily and staring up into darkness. His heart pounded painfully against his rib cage.

From his left, he felt a warm, gentle hand reach out and lay flat against his chest. He turned his head to see a pair of loving blue eyes looking back at him. The pain in his heart seemed to ease in the place where her soft hand touched.

He took a few deep calming breaths, just looking back at her comforting eyes in the darkness. "He's okay," she whispered, so quietly that he almost missed it. Hiccup closed his eyes and sighed. She rubbed her hand soothingly over his heart, and he rolled onto his side, pulling her close to his body. He ran a hand through her soft hair and breathed in her familiar scent.

"I know," he whispered back, just as quietly. The pain in his chest slowly subsided.

Everything he needed was right here.

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**I swear Astrid is the only reason he survived it. Please review!**


	2. The Dragon Team

**This one is from Toothless' POV and takes place maybe a year after? I really wanted to show the Dragon's Edge dragons putting their training to use on their own. They are very well-trained warriors and I think it would be really cool to see them do stuff without their riders.**

**Enjoy!**

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The Dragon King lay in his crystalline cave, his tail wrapped protectively around his three, newly-laid eggs. His mate, the Light Fury, slept soundly next to him.

Toothless stood up and gently nudged the white dragon, and she warily opened her bright blue eyes.

_Getting fish_, he told her.

She nodded and stood up as well, moving closer to the eggs so she could take over the role of watching them.

The Night Fury left the cave and flew out of the nest, into the open air above the vast ocean. He breathed in the fresh air and soared above the clouds. The dragon loved the freedom of flying high in the blue sky. It seemed like he never got to spend much time flying these days, since both he and his mate were continuously tending to the eggs. It felt good to stretch his wings.

He dove below the clouds towards the water, looking for a nice bunch of fish to eat. As he searched, his eyes fell upon something else in the distance. Was that… a boat?

Toothless let out a low growl, sensing danger. He hid above the clouds again and went to take a closer look.

He circled over the water. It looked like there were three large vessels with humans on board. There were several large metal cages and rock throwers on the deck. It felt all too familiar to the Night Fury. These human ships were bad news, and they were way too close to the home of the dragons. He needed to head back to the nest for help.

The Dragon King turned around and flew back to the crystalline nest. He searched the cavern for his oldest friends. He needed to gather his team. The Berkian team. And he needed to do it quickly.

Toothless circled above the sparkling walls of his kingdom. He let out a loud roar that echoed around the nest. It was a call that he had not used in years. It was the call from his youth, that only a few dragons would recognize. The call echoed through the kingdom again. Several dragons looked up in confusion. They did not understand the call. But they did not need to. Toothless roared out once more.

Stormfly was the first to answer the call. The blue Nadder joined him on his right and she began circling the nest with the Night Fury, calling out for the rest of their friends. Hookfang joined them next, taking his position on Toothless' left wing. Soon, Meatlug and Barf-and-Belch responded to the call, and the dragon king led his team out of the nest.

They soared above the clouds, falling habitually into diamond formation. Toothless looked at Stormfly on his right and smiled, feeling a rush of excitement. It had been so long since they had done this. The familiarity brought back so many memories. He could almost feel his rider on his back, and the comforting sound of his voice.

_Down there,_ Toothless called to the others, gesturing to the vessels in the water below them. They circled around the boats and the Night Fury began to formulate a plan. The well-trained team had done this so many times that they knew what needed to happen.

_Split off_, he said to Hookfang, Meatlug, and Barf-and-Belch. The three dragons dove towards the boats. The Gronckle took out the catapults on the first ship, while the Monstrous Nightmare fired at the humans and set the boat aflame. The Zippleback gassed the second ship, creating a huge explosion.

_Cover me_, Toothless said to Stormfly, who squawked in consent.

The Night Fury dove straight down at the leading vessel. Arrows flew towards him and Stormfly shot spines to knock them out of his way. As he prepared his fire, he could have sworn he heard Hiccup's voice –

_"Barrel roll, multiple blasts!"_

Obeying the command, Toothless spun, shooting out three well-aimed plasma blasts into the center of the ship. He flew back up into the sky, the vessels smoking and sinking into the sea. When Toothless turned around, his team flanked him on either side. They all let out cries of victory. Their Hidden World was still safe.

The Night Fury led the others back above the clouds, and they surveyed the area around the sinking ships to check if there were any other human threats. Toothless inadvertently let out a soft whimper. He suddenly felt lonely. Here they were, taking out hunters' ships like in the old days, and yet his back was bare. There were no congratulatory voices cheering for their victory, no rewarding rub on the top of his head. For the first time in a long time, he felt the weight of what he was missing. He felt a nostalgic urge to fly out over the horizon and go home.

You are home, he reminded himself. He thought of his beautiful Light Fury, who was still in the caves with their eggs. Their babies. He had a new family now, and the dragon kingdom, who needed him as their King. He had to stay here, where he was safe; where all the dragons were safe.

He only wished the rest of his family could be here too.

Seeing no other threats nearby, Toothless led the team back into the Hidden Dragon World.

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**Let me know what you think!**


	3. Learning to Fly

**Toothless' POV. I like to think that the dragon was influenced a lot by the humans he grew up with. When you think about his experiences in life, how do you _think_ he would teach his kid to fly?**

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The Night Fury flapped his wings, hovering over the cliff where his baby struggled to lift off into the air. The little dragon was white and had splotches of black at the tips of his ears. He would flap his wings, his feet would briefly leave the ground, and then he would quickly stop flying, too scared to continue.

The father shouted out encouragement, but it did not help his son. He flew back down and landed on the cliff. He nudged the hatchling, and then lowered his body to the ground.

_Get on my back_, the Night Fury said.

The little white dragon tilted his head in confusion. _Why?_ He asked.

_I will take you to where the winds are good_, the father answered. _We will glide together._

The hatchling did as his father said, gripping to the larger dragon's scales. The Night Fury soared up into the sky, until they were high above the clouds.

_Now jump off_, the Night Fury said.

His son cried out in protest. _Dad, this is crazy!_ He exclaimed.

_First we dive_, the father dragon said. _I will follow you._

The baby inched to the edge of his father's back and then squeaked, before leaping into a nose dive.

The Night Fury followed his son, and they dove together, facing each other. Two pairs of bright green eyes met in the air, and the baby dragon smiled and stuck out his tongue. His father smiled back.

_Now open your wings!_ The black dragon ordered. Both dragons spread out their wings, caught the wind, and began to glide side by side.

_I'm doing it!_ The little white dragon cheered. The Night Fury fired a victory shot of blue plasma, and the smaller dragon copied him.

Then, out of nowhere, a giant, towering wall of rocks appeared in front of them. The Night Fury felt a rush of terror, and suddenly the little baby dragon was no longer a dragon, but a small human boy, with uncontrollable wings unable to maneuver around the danger. He let out a frightened cry, and dove at the baby, wrapping his wings protectively around him and tumbling out of the air, until they collapsed hard onto the cliffside.

The Night Fury groaned once they had stopped rolling, eyes tightly shut, his wings still holding the small hatchling close to his chest. He heard a whimper from the child. He opened his eyes and quickly unwrapped his wings.

_Are you okay? Are you hurt? You almost died!_ The father was on his feet, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He began pacing, shaking his head with worry.

_Dad, I'm fine,_ the white dragon said. He stood up as well and shook out his wings. _I wasn't going to die, I was doing fine!_

_No, no, no, no_, the Night Fury continued to whimper and pace. _The rocks. You could have hit the rocks –_

He should not have brought him so high in the air like that. He should have been more careful –

_Dad, I wasn't going to hit the rocks,_ the child continued to argue. _I can fly! I'm a dragon!_

The father stopped pacing, finally looking at his son. Yes. Yes, of course he can fly. He is a dragon. He can fly. He is meant to fly. He has good wings.

The Night Fury realized that his fear was completely ridiculous. He had tried to rescue a perfectly capable dragon from _flying_. He was suddenly overcome with embarrassment and shame. Stupid Toothless, he scolded himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

The father dragon continued to beat himself over having such a silly reaction, and went over to the edge of the cliff. He laid on the ground and curled his tail around himself, pulling his prosthetic fin close to his body.

The young white dragon went over to his father and gave him an apologetic nudge, pawing at his neck. _I'm sorry, Daddy_, the hatchling hummed, licking him with his tongue. _I didn't mean to make you scared._

The Night Fury grunted.

_I had no reason to be_, he replied. _Your silly father forgot that you were a dragon._

That made the baby dragon laugh.

He crawled onto the bigger dragon's back and clawed playfully. _Let's go again!_ He said. He hopped on his father and flapped his wings. _We fly together!_

_Show your daddy how good you are at flying_, the Night Fury said. _You do not need to ride on my back._

The young dragon leapt down and stood at the edge of the cliff. He bent his legs, flapped his wings hard, and took off into the air on his own.

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**I hope you liked it! Please review!**


	4. You're Okay

**This one is a bit more painful than the others (or at least I think it is). I hope it hits the spot though!**

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Hiccup sat at his desk, admiring his latest project. He had been working for the past few weeks on a gift for his three-year-old daughter. It was a cast iron doll, whose arms and legs moved when you turned a lever. The doll had sapphire eyes and wore a lacy cloth dress over its mechanical parts. He had just added the final touches, just in time for Snoggletog.

Feeling satisfied with the finished product, Hiccup smiled, and carefully picked up the doll. He carried it over to the storage closet, where he would hide the gift until the holiday. He moved around some blankets and furniture to make room and then placed the doll on the middle shelf, covering it with the blankets so it would be well-hidden.

Hiccup was about to leave when he unintentionally glanced at the bottom shelf. He froze.

The old leather saddle was a bit tattered and covered with dust. It leaned against the back of the closet, having been smushed behind a pile of blankets. Hiccup nostalgically reached out his hand to touch it. The object was so familiar against his hand, and yet the memories were beginning to feel like a long time ago. It was unnerving, how one moment it felt like he had been using the saddle yesterday, and the next it was sitting in the back of a storage closet for years collecting dust. Had it really been so long? His heart throbbed.

He didn't know why, but he reached down to pick up the saddle and blew away some of the dust. He pulled open the straps, and let himself remember the way it wrapped around his back and straddled his underbelly. He recalled the first time he had tried to put it on him. He had been so stubborn at first. The memory made Hiccup smile.

As he was about to put it back on the shelf, something else caught his eye that had been hiding underneath the saddle. Hiccup felt his heart go numb, and his throat clogged painfully.

He carefully crouched down and reached his arm out towards the faded red cloth. His hand shook, and he quickly pulled it back. He swallowed back tears and tried again.

His breathing turned ragged as he reached his hand out again to touch the old tail piece. The fabric had stiffened over the years – not nearly as soft and mobile as it had once been. Hiccup pried the tail open to see the faded image of a dragon head painted onto the red dye. He gently smoothed out the wrinkled cloth with his hand, and involuntarily let out a soft whimper.

"Gods I miss you," he whispered, unable to stop the sob from escaping from his throat. He let out a shaky breath and placed the saddle back on the shelf. Before he could start really crying, he hastily left the storage room and closed the closet door.

He shook his head vigorously and folded his arms tightly across his chest. _Stop being ridiculous_, he scolded himself as a tear ran down his cheek. He hadn't expected the old flying equipment to rattle him so much. But it had managed to surface some of the deep pain that he had been suppressing for a long time.

He closed his eyes and took a few slow breaths to calm his suddenly pounding heart. As he tried to shake away the memories, he heard someone enter the room.

"Hiccup?"

He looked up at the quiet voice, and saw her watching him with wide, concerned eyes.

"Is everything alright?"

Hiccup licked his lips and nodded, not sure if he could trust his voice. Her worried expression did not change. He swallowed and tried again.

"Yeah," he replied hoarsely. "Yeah I'm fine." He couldn't look her in the eyes.

She stepped towards him and placed both hands against his cheeks, forcing him to look at her directly. She studied him for a moment, reading his emotions, and then wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.

He gratefully wrapped his arms around her back, and dug his face into her shoulder. So much for not crying. Another set of tears escaped his eyes before he could stop them. He pulled her head towards him and pressed his lips against the top of her head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

She rubbed her fingers over the back of his neck. "It's okay," she whispered back gently. "You're okay," she reminded him.

Hiccup inhaled, and then exhaled a long sigh. His heart seemed to let out a breath as well. "Yeah," he agreed with a soft smile. "Yeah, I am.

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**Please please please review! I love when people talk to me!**


	5. It's Time

**Whose idea do you think it was to go visit the dragons? This is a missing "sea-stack" moment before they bring the kids to the Hidden World.**

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_He was falling. He didn't know where he was, but everything was pitch black. Was he in a thunder storm? Perhaps it was smoke? Or maybe he was falling down a deep hole that seemed to have no end. He wanted to cry for help, but his voice wouldn't work. He was alone in the night sky, falling, falling, faster and faster – _

_Suddenly, a pair of large, glowing green eyes emerged out of the darkness from above him. They were coming closer, and the outline of two giant wings appeared, pushing the darkness away. The dragon cried out for him, almost reaching him – _

"Toothless!" Hiccup's eyes snapped open. He was still staring up into darkness, and for a moment he thought he could still see those glowing green eyes in the night. Then he blinked, and they were gone.

The chief sat up tiredly and tied on his metal leg. He needed some air. Quietly, he made his way down the staircase and out the front door.

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Astrid heard him get out of bed and leave the house. It was still dark, but the night was just beginning to turn to dawn. She got up, peeked into the kids' rooms to make sure they were still asleep, and then followed her husband outside.

The brisk, cold air was refreshing in the early morning. It was clear, and she could see a few last stars shining in the night sky. Astrid had always liked mornings. She remembered the way she used to always look forward to soaring high above the clouds on mornings like this.

She walked through the peaceful village until she found him exactly where she expected: sitting on the highest ledge of Berk, looking out over the sea.

The sky was just beginning to glow with colors when she approached, and she joined him on the ledge to watch the sunrise. His head turned slightly, acknowledging her presence, but he continued to stare out at the horizon, lost in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" She finally asked, breaking the peaceful silence.

He shrugged. "Nothing," he murmured almost inaudibly, before letting out a soft sigh. He swallowed. "Just…"

"Thinking about him?" Astrid finished his sentence. He glanced at her in silent confirmation before looking down at his lap guiltily, like it was wrong for him to be thinking about it at all.

Astrid took a breath. "Funny," she said casually, leaning back on her hands. "I was just thinking about him too."

He turned his head to look at her this time, waiting expectantly for her to continue.

"I was thinking," she began slowly, "about how lovely the summer has been this year. I thought it might be fun to take the kids out for a nice long boat ride," she paused, eying him meaningfully. "Introduce them to some old friends…?"

His eyes suddenly widened as he realized what she meant. They flickered and began to dance with life, in a way that she hadn't seen in years. He looked like he wanted to respond, but he remained silent.

Astrid turned her body to face him and gave him a comforting smile, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. "I've missed that youthful light in your eyes," she murmured softly. She ran her thumb over his bearded chin, and then dropped her hand. He looked out at the sunrise on the water, a new expression of pure hope and deep longing on his face.

Astrid sighed and stood up. People had begun roaming the village, and she started to head back so they could begin the day.

"Astrid," he called to her. She stopped and looked back at him. He hesitated before speaking. "Do… do you think he'll want to see me?" he asked tentatively.

She was surprised at the question. "_Want_ to see you?" Astrid breathed. "Hiccup," she replied gently, grinning, "he's going to be _overjoyed_ to see you."

He let out a breath and gave her a small smile in thank you. She returned the gesture, and then made her way back to the village. It was time for the kids to meet the rest of their family.

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**A/N: That moment when all I have to do is tell you what his face looks like for you to know what he's thinking… I am obsessed with his facial expressions, if you hadn't noticed. I, like Astrid, can read him like an open book. He's just so _easy!_**


	6. Homesickness

**A/N: Okay I sobbed my way through writing this one. I had not intended it to be so awful, but here you go…**

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Toothless missed the moon.

He soared over his kingdom, taking in the beautiful glow of purples, oranges, and greens that surrounded him. Many dragons were going to sleep, while the nocturnal dragons were beginning to wake up. He watched a pack of speed stingers sprinting along the surface of the flowing river below him.

While the Night Fury loved this new and awe-inspiring world, a part of him always yearned for the clear night skies, the sparkling stars, and the singular white glowing orb shining bright in the darkness. He missed the warm breeze, the open air, the white clouds, and the vast ocean. He missed the excitement of discovering new lands, and the adventures of his youth.

The homesickness weighed heavily on his heart tonight. Seeking comfort, the dragon turned towards the caves, and flew out of the magical cavern, up the sides of the roaring waterfall that dipped over the edge of the world.

Up up up the dragon flew, through the thick fog and the dark stormy clouds. Up up up and then –

There. At the top of the world he saw it. The beautiful, round moon glistening alone in the night sky.

Toothless let out a longing roar. He called out to the world he once knew, the world he had grown to love. For someone else was looking at this same moon tonight. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could hear the dragon's cry.

_Tell him I miss him_, Toothless told the moon. _Tell him I love him._

He allowed himself one more fleeting moment before the dragon folded his wings forward, letting himself fall back into the deep fog below him.

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**Ouch. Right? Sorry. Short but powerful. Let me know what you think!**


	7. Broken Heart

**A/N: I am certain that he was putting on a brave face at the end of the movie. He was hurting waaay more than he let on. This is what really happens right after the dragons leave.**

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He didn't know how long he stood there after the dragons disappeared over the horizon. All he knew was that for the first time in his life his heart was so numb that he couldn't feel a thing.

Although his cheeks were stained with tears, his eyes now felt abnormally dry. He still had his arm draped around Astrid's shoulder, his prosthetic leg missing from his stub. She hadn't said a word, but stood in comfortable silence with him, giving him all the time he needed to just stare, emotionless, at the sky.

Finally, he looked at her and nodded, signaling that he was ready to head back to the village. They turned around, and he hopped haphazardly on his one foot down from the hillside. When they reached the base, there were Berkians milling around. There was an air of mourning looming over the village. It was mostly silent, with only quiet murmuring and the sound of clanging metal as people began moving now unusable saddles out of their homes and pulled apart the partially built dragon feeding stations at the center of camp.

Hiccup hopped over to his worktable and removed his arm from around Astrid, leaning on the table for support. The old, red prosthetic tail had fallen under the table, and Hiccup bent down to pick it up. Then, he shuffled through his tools on his desk and all his drawings and sketches of tail designs, until he found one of his spare legs. He sniffled, and attached the leg to his stump, stomping the new leg on the ground a couple of times to make sure it was secure.

Carrying the red tail piece in his left hand, he turned without a word and walked alone back to his small hut - the hut that had been built with the full intention of it being completely temporary. He went inside, closing the door behind him.

The "hut" was no bigger than a shed. It was just enough room for a small desk and two beds. One for him, and one for his dragon.

Hiccup stood alone in the small dark room. His breathing quickened, feeling strangely labored. The past events suddenly hit him like a giant wave, and he felt what could only be described as a painful, gut-wrenching explosion inside his chest.

He let out a horrid cry, so ragged and broken that he didn't even recognize the sound as his own. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor, arms gripping his stomach as he doubled over in pain. The tears came flowing uncontrollably and he squeezed his eyes shut, sobbing hard and silently. He still held the tail fin in his hand and pressed it tightly against his chest. It felt like everything inside of him was breaking at once, a combination of shattered glass and burning lava eating away at his core.

There was no saying how long he stayed like that. Time seemed irrelevant. It was like he had entered an entirely different universe, where he was alone. Completely alone in his pain.

After a long while, his sobs faded, and his breathing became a bit easier. His vision cleared, and he began to pull himself out of the surreal dream-state in which he had been lingering. There was a soft knock on the door.

Hiccup quickly wiped his face with his sleeve, though he figured the attempt was pretty pointless. He probably looked as much of a mess as he felt. He stood up and opened the door a crack to peek outside.

It was his mother. She stood outside the door in the dark and Hiccup felt the cold air rush inside his hut. It was already nighttime. He must have been inside for hours. Valka's soft eyes looked back at him knowingly, and he opened the door further to let her in.

"Mom," he murmured.

She let herself inside and immediately wrapped her arms around the broken child. He gratefully accepted the embrace. She pulled his head against her breast and ran a comforting hand over his hair, holding him close and leaning her cheek against the top of his head.

Hiccup broke down again, letting the sobs come freely from his throat. They weren't all sad tears this time though. He felt a surge of relief as well, and deep gratitude. His mother knew better than anyone what he was feeling. He wasn't alone. He hadn't lost everything. He still had a family who loved him.

The simple knowledge that his mother was there was enough to ease his broken heart.

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**Please review!**


	8. Baby Dragons

**Yeesh! These are getting a bit depressing aren't they? Here's a happier one to lighten things up.**

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Hiccup was with Gobber in the blacksmith shop. The stall was a mess so Gobber had asked him to help clean it. As chief, he obviously had other things he could have been doing, but Hiccup was feeling nostalgic today, and kind of liked the idea of spending time with Gobber in the shop. Like the old days.

He brought the kids along to help. His four-year-old daughter, Zephyr, was standing in the very middle of the pile of junk in the back of the shop. She had picked up a random metal crate and had placed it on her head so that it covered her face, and she fished through the miscellaneous things. His two-year-old son, Nuffink, was sitting on a worktable, chewing on one of Gobber's smaller appendages.

Hiccup reached into the pile and picked up a dead, rotting fish. "Ugh, Gobber!" he blanched. "When is the last time you even looked back here?"

"Eh, let's just say I usually pretend that this part of the shop doesn't exist," he answered, waving a hand dismissively.

Hiccup tossed the fish into a waste basket and wiped his hand on his pants. "Maybe you should find a better use for it," Hiccup suggested. "There's enough room back here to build an entire new oven."

"Yeah," Gobber said. "I thought maybe once the place was clean you could draw up one of your nifty plans. I can see you forming one in your mind right now, eh?" He teased, tapping his hook lightly against the side of Hiccup's head.

Hiccup grinned at how well his old teacher knew him.

"Picture!" Nuffink exclaimed. Hiccup turned to his son, who was pointing at something on the table next to him. "Picture!" the boy said again.

"You found a picture, Fink?" Hiccup went over to see what the boy was pointing at. His eyes widened when he saw what it was.

The drawing was among a large stack of papers, probably from one of Hiccup's old journals. The papers were stained and looked like they hadn't been touched in a long time. At the top of the pile was a sketch of a Night Fury dragon, laying on the ground, his tail wrapped around himself so that half of his face was covered. One of his eyes peeked out from behind the tail, looking up at them in amusement, like he was sharing an inside joke.

Hiccup reached for the drawing and turned it towards himself so that he could look at it. He let out a soft breath that he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Kitty?" Nuffink asked his dad, pointing at the drawing.

Hiccup looked at his son, not understanding the question for moment, but then smiled when he figured out what the boy was asking. "No," he grinned. "No it's not a kitty, Fink, it's a dragon," he said. He held up the picture so the boy could see. "This is my very, very best friend," he told the boy. "His name is Toothless."

"Toofwess?" The two-year-old frowned. "No teef?"

Hiccup laughed. "Well – "

"Daddy, look!"

Hiccup turned to see Zephyr holding up a large red cloth, shaped suspiciously like wings. "What is this?" She asked curiously, moving the foreign object around in her hands. She took the wings and wrapped them around her head, and it draped over her face.

"Hey, bring that over here, Zeph," Hiccup told his daughter, smiling. "I can show you what that is."

The girl stepped out from the junk pile and went over to her dad and her brother. Hiccup took the old set of wings off of Zephyr's head and held them up so the kids could see the cloth's shape. "They're wings, see?" He showed them. "You can wear them."

"Wings?" Zephyr asked. "You mean they make you fly?"

"Yep," Hiccup answered.

"Dwagon wings!" Nuffink exclaimed, pointing at the dragon picture again.

"Exactly like dragon wings, Fink," Hiccup agreed. "You want to try them on?"

"Yeah!" Zephyr exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright, turn around and hold out your arms," Hiccup said as he found the straps of the old wings. The girl obeyed, and Hiccup strapped the contraption onto her back. He hooked the rings onto her fingers. The cloth drooped around her small waist.

"It's a little big for you, Zephyr," he laughed. "Here." He found some clips and pins on the worktable and folded the excess cloth over itself so the wings were pulled tight between her body and her wrists.

"There," he announced. "How's that?"

The girl moved her arms back and forth, flapping her new wings. "Yay!" She exclaimed. "I'm a dragon!" She ran in a circle, holding out the wings. "Raaaar!" She rumbled, and she hopped a few times around the room. Gobber, who had been watching this whole exchange, laughed at her silly display.

Hiccup laughed as well, and felt a surge of real joy fill his heart. It was a fleeting feeling, one that he felt so rarely these days. But watching his daughter 'fly' around the shop brought back a small hint of the happiness of his own youth. A happiness that he sometimes wondered if he had lost completely after the dragons left. Hiccup cherished the feeling, allowing his heart to breathe.

"Me too!" Nuffink exclaimed. He hopped down from the countertop holding out his arms like his sister, and began running around the shop flapping his arms.

The two of them galloped around, and almost ran into Astrid as she entered the shop.

"Whoa!" She smiled. "What is going on in here?"

"Mama, I'm a baby dragon!"

"A baby dragon?" Astrid laughed. She touched the cloth straddling the girl's body. "My goodness, did you sprout wings?"

"_Someone_ just discovered the Dragon Fly II," Hiccup grinned at Astrid wickedly.

Astrid read his underlying tone and glared at him. "_No one_ is jumping off of cliffs," She demanded.

Hiccup laughed. "Yes, m'lady."

Despite her attempt to stay serious, Astrid couldn't help but smile as she watched her husband laugh.

* * *

**Please tell me what you guys think of all of these! Which one's do you like best so far? Let me know in the reviews!**


	9. As Beautiful as the Day I Lost You

**Disclaimer: Needless to say this is a major spoiler, because it is a scene from the movie. None of it is mine.**

**A/N: Alright, are you ready for this? Here goes nothing.**

* * *

They were here.

Hiccup passed his son to Astrid and stepped up to the bow of the ship. His heart was pounding in his chest, beating restlessly from excitement. But his body also shook from a lingering fear – a fear of the unknown, fear of what he would find – if he would find anything at all.

He peered into the mist, trying to make out anything in the thick fog. For a moment he saw nothing, and he felt a second of doubt, that perhaps he should turn back, that perhaps he really didn't want to know.

But he was too close now. His heart pushed him forward.

There was something.

Hiccup's heart fluttered from the movement in the mist. _Was it… was it…_

A dark shape emerged, then a lighter shape, and then three smaller shapes in the fog. He saw him lift his wings.

_Mine_, his heart said. A rush of brilliant joy jolted through his body. He let out a shaky breath, and then another. _There are babies._

The dragon leaped into the air, soaring up above the boat, and came plummeting towards them so fast that Hiccup had to take a step back. And then he was there, right in front of him, gripping firmly to the mast.

_He's so beautiful. He's still so beautiful._

The emotion that came over him then was so overwhelming that he almost fell over his own feet. Everything from his past came rushing back to him; all of the good, all of the bad, all of the fears, and all of the happiness. So much happiness.

He wanted nothing more then to throw himself at the dragon, crying tears of relief and joy.

But the dragon was staring at him now, with an expression that sent a sudden, fearful chill down his back.

"Hey," he tried, his voice temporarily forgetting how to work. "Hey there, bud," he tried again.

_He doesn't recognize me._

He felt a stab of pain clench his heart.

"Is it gonna eat Daddy?" he heard his daughter whisper from behind him. Hiccup turned his head slightly towards his family behind him. He had nearly forgotten they were there.

Hiccup turned to look back at his dragon with a renewed determination. _Come on, bud_, he thought urgently. _Look at me._

The dragon moved his head ever so slightly, perhaps trying to figure out why nothing was trying to hurt him. Then he carefully stepped forward onto the deck, approaching Hiccup cautiously, but intensely.

"Remember me," he said. It was almost a question, but also a request. A hope.

_Come on, bud,_ Hiccup thought desperately again, as he held out his hand to the dragon. He was shaking from resisting the temptation of his friend standing _right there_, and he wanted _so badly_ to touch his scales –

The dragon lifted his head, and Hiccup's hand followed the movement. His face was right in front of his now, close enough to touch. Hiccup looked at his slitted green eyes, feeling nothing but joy and love. He recalled a distant memory of the first time he ever saw the dragon. Those deep, fearful eyes that had stolen his heart so many years ago.

Ever so slowly, he turned his eyes away, recalling that day long ago when he had risked everything for the privilege of touching this creature. Now he closed his eyes and prayed.

_Please remember me._

Before his hand had even finished turning towards the dragon, Hiccup felt the impact of the massive creature tackling him to the ground.

He cried out in surprise, and then laughed as his friend made happy happy happy coos and slurps and hums. He was looking at him now, with the big loving eyes that Hiccup had always known. He felt relief like never before, and his heart was soaring from the freedom and happiness that he hadn't had in years.

_Toothless!_

The dragon was hopping and leaping in circles around the boat, slobbering and cooing and gargling _happy happy happy you're here you're here you're really here!_

"Hey!" Hiccup exclaimed, with the biggest smile on his face that reached all the way up to his eyes. He tried to sit up. "I'm happy to see you too bud!"

Before he could get onto his feet, Toothless knocked him back down onto his back and began eagerly nuzzling him, tickling his neck.

Hiccup laughed, feeling like a child again for the first time since he became chief. Toothless slobbered and licked and cooed, and soon Hiccup was drenched in saliva. He pressed his hand against his friend's nose, cherishing the familiar roughness of his skin, while also trying to keep the persistent dragon's tongue away from his face.

"How's the tail holding up?" He asked, choking on the happy tears that filled the corners of his eyes. "Need any oiling? A little fine tuning?"

Hiccup finally managed to sit up, and the dragon hummed with urgent happiness, pressing his head into his chest. It was like he was trying to will his own happiness into his friend's heart. Toothless noticed the tears on Hiccup's cheeks, and tactfully avoided his hands so he could reach his face with his tongue.

"Gaah!" Hiccup complained, though it wasn't really complaining. He was too happy to have anything to complain about.

The dragon was looking passed him now, and Hiccup remembered his family once again.

_You have babies?_ Toothless hummed excitedly.

Hiccup looked at his kids, who were huddled, frightened against their mother's body. Astrid was beaming at him. "Come here," Hiccup gestured to them with a smile.

"Go on," Astrid urged the two of them forward. "It's okay."

"Come," Hiccup said again, as they hesitantly walked towards him. "He won't hurt you."

He took his daughter's hand and pulled her closer to his dragon. "Hold out your hands," he told them excitedly. He pressed his palm against hers to straighten out her fingers. "Like this." Hiccup did the same with his son's hand. The kids both looked so full of awe and wonder. His son covered his face with his hand, turning his eyes away like the boy had seen his father do moments ago. "That's it," Hiccup smiled, feeling so much pride and happiness that he thought he might explode.

"Let him come to you."

He watched his dragon eagerly, waiting to see something that he realized he had been waiting forever to see. Family meeting family. Everything he loved coming together in one beautiful moment. His heart being made whole for the first time in his life.

The dragon gently reached out and touched his nose to their hands.

* * *

**A/N: How did I do? Please let me know in the reviews!**


	10. Strange

**Bonus! A glimpse of the dragon's POV during the same moment!**

* * *

_Strange._

One small boat with a human presence.

Very strange.

I soar up into the air –

_Thump._

I grip firmly to the boat and look for danger. Is this a threat?

A man takes a step back. There is no move to harm me. He has no fear. No hate.

Very, very strange.

He lets out a low, reassuring rumble. A female and two hatchlings huddle behind him.

I move cautiously forward. I smell great sadness and longing. I smell immense happiness and relief. The hatchlings are afraid, but the man does not waver.

He rumbles again. _Hope,_ he seems to say. So much hope.

_Calming, soothing, kind, gentle…_

Familiar.

I raise my head and look closer at the strange man. A tentative hand reaches out and then –

_Love._

Deep, deep, yearning, _desperate_ love.

Sniff sniff.

Oh my god.

_"Hiccup!"_


	11. Family

**Alright you stubborn people. I know you are all looking for the happy ending, so here's your reward for reading all of my sad one-shots.**

**Takes place after the end of the movie.**

* * *

After flying for most of the day, the two families, dragon and human, settled down on a grassy sea-stack to rest and eat. Hiccup gathered some kindling for a fire and sat next to Toothless on the ground. Astrid and Stormfly sat across from them, and the Light Fury lounged on Toothless' other side, watching the three baby Nightlight dragons play in the grass. Hiccup's five-year-old son laughed gleefully as the little white dragon with black splotches on his ears licked the young boy's face. The two black dragons with white bellies and white paws played with his seven-year-old daughter, one climbing on her shoulders and head, while the other pawed friskily at her wristband.

Hiccup breathed in the cool air and smiled to himself. His heart was soaring. He hadn't felt this happy in years. For the first time in so long, he was surrounded by everyone he loved, and there was nothing more he could want or need in his life. He could not possibly ask for a better day than this.

There was a small blast from behind him and the kindling suddenly burst into flame. Then, a familiar black tail wrapped around him and pulled him backwards, so he could lean his back against the dragon's wing. Toothless lifted his head to gently lick Hiccup's face, and Hiccup's smile grew even bigger as he happily took in the kisses. The dragon cooed loving hums and purrs before resting his head in his lap.

"Aw," Astrid grinned. "I think someone really missed you," she said.

Hiccup gave her smile that made his eyes sparkle, and then wrapped his arms over the dragon's head, leaning his cheek against the black scales. "I missed you too, bud," he said to the dragon. He could feel the loud rumbling of his happy purring. He closed his eyes and sighed, more contented than he could ever remember. It was like breathing for the first time.

"Daddy, look!"

Hiccup opened his eyes and looked up at the sound of his daughter's voice. Zephyr had removed her leather wrist band and was dangling it in front of one of the black and white dragons. It was the frisky female with blue eyes. The baby dragon pounced and tackled the string, and Zephyr laughed.

"I've named them," the girl announced. "This is Kitten," she said, scratching the frisky female under the chin. "And this," she pet the male black and white dragon sleeping in her lap, "is Patches."

Hiccup chuckled. "Nice names," he said. He looked over at his son, Nuffink, who giggled at the white baby dragon that was rolling around in the grass. The little Nightlight dragon had inherited his father's bright green eyes. "What about you, Fink?" Hiccup asked the boy. "What's that one called?"

The boy frowned in thought. "His name is Sky," Nuffink decided. "Because I met him in the sky!"

Astrid and Hiccup both laughed.

"What do you think, Toothless?" Hiccup asked his friend. "Are those good names for your kids?"

Toothless turned his eyes up to look at him and happily voiced his approval.

The Light Fury stood up and went over to Sky, who was still lying happily in the grass. She picked him up with her mouth and carried him over to where the mother had collected a pile of fish. She then ushered the other two babies to the food, and the three of them began to eat.

"Good idea," Astrid said. "Let's eat some dinner, shall we?" She opened up the basket of fish that they had brought with them and attached them to cooking rods. Zephyr and Nuffink went over to their mother and each took a fish, crouching by the fire to let it cook. Astrid handed Hiccup one as well. Toothless took immediate interest in Hiccup's fish and reached his head out to sniff it.

"Ah ah ah," Hiccup pulled the fish away from the dragon. "This is my fish!"

Toothless huffed and gave him a dirty look, before grabbing some of the raw fish from the pile the dragons had collected.

"Boy, some things really don't change," Hiccup grinned at Astrid.

Stormfly squawked and nuzzled Astrid. She laughed and hugged the Nadder's horn. "Nope," she agreed. "Some things never change."

"Daddy," Zephyr said. "Will you tell us the story again?"

Hiccup raised his eyebrows. "Which one?"

"All of them!" Nuffink chimed in.

"All of them," Hiccup laughed. "Okay well which do you want to hear first?"

"Why don't you start with the one about how you met," Astrid said.

Toothless nudged his head underneath Hiccup's hand and he ran his palm over his rough skin. "That's the best one," he smiled, looking into the dragon's big loving eyes.

"Tell it!" Nuffink said excitedly.

"Well," Hiccup began. "When I was a boy…"

* * *

**Oh precious. So precious.**

**Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading all of these as much as I enjoyed writing them. I hope you at least cried a little. This is honestly one of the saddest, most beautiful love stories I have ever seen, and it was really important to me to get it right.**


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